Gee, I needed that

Finally, an out-of-town trip that wasn’t work. Friends often chide me for being on perpetual vacation, citing my numerous out-of-town or out-of-the country trips, not knowing that these trips are really part of the job. For sure, I enjoy these trips immensely, even the local ones, as they afford me the chance of visiting some local destinations that I would not have discovered were it not for these junkets. In some instances, when I truly enjoyed the sights and cuisine of the place, I resolve to bring the family the next time, but that’s another story.

Last Holy Week, we finally packed the bags and the dogs for Anilao, Batangas. With all that baggage, the THULE certainly came in handy, because that too was packed. The TAHOE was perfect ride for five passengers with a lot of baggage, including some treats that the family can’t leave without for the Holy Week, You guessed it – a whole Tupperware of Bacalao included. Plus of course the paksiw na pata, etc. Hey, its vacation.

We left on a Thursday and surprisingly, traffic was light. Our good friends Pocholo and Ellen Ramirez joined us for the trip and Anilao was an unhurried, pleasurable two hours ride.

Destination: VISTAMAR, the resort owned and managed by our good friends CHARLIE and FELY LEOBRERA. The place was unbelievably packed with vacationers and there was a long queue at the registration counter, but CHARLIE was unfazed – this was usual for this time of year, and the staff was used to it. Besides, the resort was huge enough to accommodate this throng, and the newest wing was completed just in time for the summer crowd. Excellent foresight, as always Charlie.

The new wing had bigger and nicer rooms, and our family of four fitted perfectly, what with two pull-out beds, with enough room to walk around in. As soon as we were settled, the endless rounds of incessant talks had begun. As they say, when the talk is good and the feeling is easy, and the laughter is light , and the memories are many but the time is too short, then you know you’re with friends. We thoroughly enjoyed the anecdotes of CHARLIE who recalled his seaman days, when they would disembark from the ship tall and proud in their seaman uniforms, and the ladies couldn’t help but whistle at their imposing figures!

Late Thursday afternoon found us at the deck waiting for sunset to happen, sipping cold beer and enjoying the cool breeze. It was uncharacteristically cool and breezy that Holy Week, a most welcome weather indeed although it made us reconsider the swimming part of the trip.

It’s not often that I get to watch sunset slowly unfold before my eyes. The skies changed from a light blue to a more somber grayish blue, and the rays of light extended like spokes from under hued clouds as the sun slowly dipped into the sea. I was almost expecting to hear a loud hissss when the big red-orange ball finally dipped into the cool blue waters but that didn’t happen. Instead, the skies, tinged with the warm glow of summer, slowly turned orange, even the specks of white clouds that floated everywhere. They say that no two sunsets are ever the same, but when a sunset unfolds in its entirety in front of you, you are always in awe. If only for that, the trip was well worth it.

Of course there was more to it than that. Thursday was dedicated to good food, good company and a lot of stories to swap. We even had a few hours of singing in the privacy of our room, with Pocholo belting out a few Sinatras till about 1 a.m. The Bacalao was served along with Vistamar’s good food every meal of the days we were there until it ran out. Friday was for quiet meditation and prayer in VISTAMAR’s solemn chapel. We had it to ourselves, so we had our traditional Way of the Cross and rosary in tranquil solemnity.

After that, it was more lounging, endless chats over drinks, mad Scrabble for Babes and Ellen, DVDs for the kids, and a visit to the CARFEL, an unbelievable museum of Fely and Charlie’s priceless collection of shells that is the envy of collectors of world renown. Little is known of the fact that FELY LEOBRERA IS ONE OF THE Philippines’ foremost authority on shells and she has elected to share this legacy with our countrymen via this museum which, incidentally, is Charlie’s gift to her.

It’s unbelievable how re-charged one can get, without oversleeping or anything like that, mind you. I had my usual hours of sleep, but being in comfortable company, watching the sunset with a breeze lulling you to complacency, and looking forward to another serving of bacalao can get you in the best of spirits. Then it was back to Manila by early Saturday afternoon. Surprise – traffic was light again. Where was everybody. Tony San Diego was telling us that instead of going out of town, he and family checked into the Shangri-La, and that was where everybody else was. They didn’t even have elbow room to swim in the pool! Oh well, that’s Holy Week for us. How was yours?

Poker Challenge

It’s two weeks to D-day, with only a few seats left for the Elimination Round of the 1st leg of the Poker King Challenge Series, which will be held on April 16 at the Casino Filipino Hyatt. For the benefit of all those who signed up, here are the mechanics of the competition:

Each table will have a maximum of six players, and table/seat assignments shall be determined by drawing lots. Games start promptly at 1 p.m. on designated dates of the Elimination, Semi-Final and Final rounds. For the Elimination round, last round of deals starts at 5 p.m.; for the Semi-finals, its 4 p.m., and for the Finals, it starts promptly after a ten-minute break, with the last round starting three hrs from the first deal of the Finals or 7 p.m., whichever comes first. The top three players in the Eliminations qualify for Semi-finals, while the top player in a table (with the most no. of units on the table) qualifies for the Finals.

All players start the session with equal number of chips with a total value of 50,000 units. A player who is unable to pay for the required ante is eliminated.

There will be three declared winners from the Finals participants, and the player with the most number of units on the table shall be declared Champion, with the 2nd most no. of chips declared as 1st Runner-up and the player with the 3rd most no. of chips declared at 2nd Runner-up. All ties in all phases are broken by an extra Seven Card Stud deal to be played only by the players involved in the tie.

Being the country’s gaming authority, PAGCOR has been tapped to oversee the tournament to assure its integrity. A Pagcor Card Dealer Supervisor shall be assigned to be tournament arbiter and his decision is final an unappealable.

The games shall be "high" only, and only the following deals shall be played in all the phases:

1. Seven-Card Stud (No wild card) – three face down/four face up

2. Five Card Stud with option to draw two cards (no wild card) – two face down/three face up

3. Hibok – three barrels of five cards each, 4th card obligado, 5th wild.

For inquiries, call Cindy at 8179092/816-6195/fax 812-5362

Poker is a mind game and Pinoys can excel here. And this tournament can bring the best minds out front. Besides, here’s a chance to play high stakes poker (P50,000 worth of chips shall be given out up front and must be played) without losing a single centavo. The registration fee of P1,000 gives you free food and drinks to begin with.

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.

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